From left, Longport Mayor Nicholas Russo, with Mari and Todd Berrios of Florida.
LONGPORT – American Legion Post 469 held its annual Memorial Day Parade and Service with last year’s Wounded Warrior Week recipient, U.S. Army Maj. Todd Berrios of Crestview, Florida as guest speaker.
A Special Forces Officer in the U.S. Army and a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, Berrios was wounded in action Feb. 8, 2020, while serving in Afghanistan. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and is still recovering from his injuries, but several of his comrades in arms did not make it back from the war.
On Monday, he spoke of their service to the country and of the meaning of Memorial Day.
“Today, Memorial Day, is a dayto put our differences aside…and come together as Americans and truly honor the people who have fallen before us,” he said, quoting Gen. George S. Patton, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we would thank God that such men lived.”
Although two of his friends died and six others were wounded that day, a lot of veterans “came home with hidden wounds that we deal with every day,” he said. “Today, if you find a veteran, just say thank you.”
Residents and visitors gathered at Thomas B. Reed Memorial Park to hear Mayor Nicholas Russo reflect on the First and Fourth Amendments of the Constitution, which provide all Americans with freedom of speedch and protection from illegal searches in their homes.
He said that if Americans want to know what life would be like without those freedoms, they can just look at Russia, where Vladamir Putin has total control of the media and has invaded and is destroying neighboring Ukraine.
He said the Founding Fathers of this nation, which is ruled by the people at the ballot box, had the wisdom to include words in the Constitution codifying the importance of individual rights.
“Those Amendments impact the essense of American life and symbolize what it means to be an American,” he said. “This Memorial Day as we honor those who perished, and wonder what it would be like without those freedoms, look no further than to Russia.”
Members of the Police and Fire Departments and Legion Auxiliary presents wreaths at the Longport Veterans Memorial, which was fashioned as a sundial with medallions highlighting historic milestones in U.S. military history.
At noon, the flag was briskly raised to full-staff, indicating it was time to celebrate the freedom granted to all Americans with the blood of those who fell defending it.
Everyone was invited to the waterfront park behind Longport Borough Hall to enjoy hot dogs, sodas and donuts.
